ZEBRA HI-MCKEE
I previously stated that the Super Sharpie was the most bootlegged marker on the market, but it actually might be the Zebra Hi-McKee. I saw the marker pillow in the picture the first night I was in HK during my last visit. It was in a well lit display window amongst all sorts of pens and writing instruments. I spotted it from across the street and had to stop in mid conversation with Suzette to cross the street and look at it closer. I picked it up at the tail end of my stay.
ZEBRA HI-MCKEE – This marker is a design classic. Twin tip ; Chisel on one side, bullet point on the other. Great black and white label graphics and layout. Nice double arrow graphic on the label; English on one side, Japanese on the other. Simple sloping construction with subtle ridged caps on both ends. Almost flawless. While the small cap nestles into the large cap quite easily, the large cap fits clumsily over the small cap and gets easily stuck.
COMIX – Somewhere along the bootlegging process, the double arrow design on the label morphed into a silhouette of the twin tip itself. Comix followed the trend and features the marker silhouette, and changed the dual white bands on the top, to silver.
PILOT BI-MARKER – Made by PILOT of Thailand. Not sure if this is affiliated to the actual PILOT company. This marker is a really lazy copy. Stylized double arrow label graphic sticker slapped clumsily onto a marker. The fine cap doesn’t match the look of the broad cap. The Broad cap doesn’t snap flush into the body of the marker.
WING SUNG 99A MARKER – Poor quality bootleg. The double arrow label graphic has been changed into a single arrow and the label reads “Perment Marker”
880 TWIN TIP – This bootleg actually improved on the original by printing the label directly on the marker body, instead of on a sticker.
TWIN MARKER – Really basic no-name bootleg.
SELECTUM – Same silhouette, down to the cap ridging, but boring labeling.
HUALIXIAN – I think this is made by the same company that makes Superbline. It uses the twin tip marker silhouette graphic on the label. The fonts and copy are clumsy.
HAIYI MARKER – This is roughly the same silhouette as the ZEBRA, except it tapers unevenly. It looks frankensteined from a bunch of other markers. Both caps differ in look, and are quite odd in appearance. The TWIN MARKER word mark has been lifted from another company, Pentel or Pilot I think. One big mess of a bootleg.
SHIWEN HI-MARKER – This is the perfect bootleg. Stays close to the original in layout and design, replacing the word MCKEE with MARKER in the label for that added quirk value.
PERMANENT MARKER – This is also a really good bootleg, due to how bad it is. They use the marker silhouette graphic on the label instead of the double arrow, and have written inside that space “MARKER”. Other copy reads “ XYLENNE FREE”, and “Toxious Component Not used.”
YINGYUAN – Another quality bootleg. Sticks to the original layout and just drops the name of their company within the double arrow graphic, all nice and cursive.
TARTAN – Lazy bootleg. Marker silhouette graphic on label with the word TARTAN in the middle. The label claims that “This is the most comfortable marker you have ever used”. I love reassuring copy on bad bootleg items.
LONGHUA – Basic bootleg. Doesn’t really retain any original design elements other than silhouette.
CLASSIC – Lazy bootleg. Just says CLASSIC on the side, with a wonky line drawing of a twin tip marker silhouette on the other side.
